Press release
Minister McEntee statement on Personal Injury Guidelines in advance of Judicial Council meeting
Published on
Last updated on
Published on
Last updated on
In advance of the Judicial Council meeting tomorrow, the Minister for Justice has sought to clarify how the new Personal Injuries Guidelines would be applied if approved by the Judicial Council.
The Minister intends that the new Personal Injuries Guidelines will apply to all cases that have not yet been assessed by the Personal Injuries Assessment Board.
This approach will ensure that the law is robust as we seek to reduce the cost of insurance.
Minister McEntee will bring proposals to Cabinet on Tuesday on how to implement the new Personal Injuries Guidelines, should they be adopted by the Council.
The Minister will propose to her Cabinet colleagues that a minor legislative amendment should be made so that the Personal Injuries Guidelines should take legal effect in respect of claims as early as possible.
Under the Judicial Council Act, the Personal Injuries Guidelines Committee (PIGC) of the Judicial Council is required to submit guidelines on personal injury awards to the Judicial Council for adoption and publication.
Personal injuries guidelines adopted and published by the Council will set out general guidelines as to the level of damages that may be awarded or assessed in respect of personal injuries.
The draft guidelines were submitted to the Council in December 2020, and are currently before the Council for consideration with a view to adoption and publication. Under the Judicial Council Act 2019, the Council has until 31 July 2021 to adopt and publish the guidelines.
The guidelines are an important element of the government’s Action Plan on Insurance.
Queries about the content of the guidelines and their publication should be directed to the Judicial Council.